Aziz Abdul never met his grandfather, the military dictator Idi Amin, who died in exile when Abdul was a toddler. Now 25 and competing in Glasgow at the Commonwealth Games, the Ugandan super-heavyweight boxer is within reach of a historic medal. He faces England’s Damar Thomas in the quarter-final of the 90+kg category on Wednesday, and victory would guarantee at least bronze and make him Uganda’s first Commonwealth boxing medallist since Auckland in 1990.
Amin, who took power in a coup in 1971 as Uganda’s third president, led a brutal regime for eight years. He is estimated to have presided over the deaths of half a million people, and the country’s entire Asian population was expelled. Abdul, who goes by the nickname Ringo, has now become one of around 3000 athletes in Glasgow, but his family name and the legacy attached to it continue to draw attention.
The possibility of winning in Glasgow carries added symbolism. Amin developed a fascination with Scotland after serving in the King’s African Rifles in his 20s. At the height of his rule, he was known to wear a kilt, play the bagpipes and even declare himself “King of Scotland” in 1976. Those predilections later inspired the Oscar-winning film The Last King Of Scotland, starring Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy.
Asked what it would mean to become the “new King of Scotland”, Abdul said:
“In everything we do, God knows tomorrow,” he told Scotland. “It’s God’s plan. I might be the new King of Scotland. It’s possible.
“When I arrived, I put up the flag, ’cause I like Scotland so much.”
Why does Abdul avoid talking about Idi Amin?
Abdul has said little publicly about the man he is linked to, despite Amin’s lasting global notoriety as “The Butcher of Uganda”. Amin married six times and fathered around 60 children, or at least that was the number he acknowledged, and Abdul is believed to be among them. In a previous interview, Abdul said he was “inspired” by Amin, although it was not entirely clear whether he meant the former dictator’s boxing or his broader life.
Amin was himself an accomplished fighter, holding the Ugandan light-heavyweight title for nine years from 1951. Even that part of his life was not free from controversy: after being beaten in one fight during that period, he reportedly ordered a rematch after coming to power and then delivered a staged knockout while wearing a suit and tie. When asked if he was proud to be the dictator’s grandson, Abdul refused to answer, but he did explain how he reacts when people mention the comparison.
“Sometimes people say positive about him, but others say negative about him,” he explained. “That’s why I don’t want to talk more about him.
“It’s not good to say something negative about someone who is not there, and it’s not good to say something about someone negative who was not there by the time when the incident happened, if it happened.”
What is the wider background to Amin’s rule?
Amin’s regime was marked by mass killings, imprisonment and torture. Human rights groups and the Ugandan government both expressed disappointment that he never faced trial for the crimes alleged against him before dying in Saudi Arabia in 2003. All of this happened long before Abdul was born.
Abdul’s own life in Kampala has been described as ordinary, but in Glasgow he has a chance to contribute positively to Uganda’s reputation. He says he wants the gold chain around his neck to be replaced by a gold medal this week, and believes his “Ringo punch” can carry him past his rivals.
“Our first medal will be won tomorrow. No excuse,” he says. “That’s why I’m here. I have that dream that I’m gonna go back with gold medal. That’s the reason I’m here in Glasgow right now.
“I want to do something for my country. I think the day is tomorrow for them to recognise me and for the world to recognise me. I want to be known as the Ringo the boxer.”
Key Facts
- Aziz Abdul is 25 and competing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
- He faces England’s Damar Thomas in the quarter-final of the 90+kg category on Wednesday.
- Victory would guarantee at least bronze and make him Uganda’s first Commonwealth boxing medallist since Auckland in 1990.
- Abdul is the grandson of Idi Amin, who ruled Uganda from 1971 to 1979 and died in Saudi Arabia in 2003.
- Abdul says he wants to be known as “Ringo the boxer”.
